Free Apps for Your New Years Resolutions!

No matter what your New Year’s resolution is, chances are there’s an app that can help you stay on track. Here are some FREE apps that can give you a little extra motivation this January:

 

·         Get Organized with Cozi Family Organizer– If you want to simply family life by planning dinners in advance, keeping the kids on track with their homework or starting a chore chart so the whole family can help keep the house tidy, Cozi is your key to success, with free apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android that can help the whole family simplify and organize their schedules.

 

·         Drop those Holiday Pounds with Lose It! – Lose It! lets you set goals and establish a daily calorie budget, then helps you stay on track each day by recording your food and exercise to stay within your budget. If you need a little extra motivation, add friends so you can celebrate your victories and hold each other accountable.

 

·         Step up the Cardio with RunKeeper – Track your workouts (indoor or outdoor), map out running routes, and share your progress with friends to keep your fitness on track this year.

 

·         Save Money with SmartyPig –If you have a savings goal in mind—a house downpayment, a big vacation, or next year’s holiday gifts, a free SmartyPig savings account can help you set the money aside, and even allow your friends and family to contribute.

 

·         Stop Smoking with Quitter – Quitter provides extra motivation by tracking how long it’s been since you smoked, and how much money you’ve saved, to help you kick the cigarette habit for good. 

With these free apps at your fingertips, 2012 can be the year your New Year’s resolutions stick.

Recent Winners

Congrats to the following winners:

My Memories: Gianna

Eden Fantasys: whitezombiefreak

Fit Moms for Life: Sara Wood

Purex Triple Action: Valerie Taylor Mabrey, agatewood1, sueparks2003

Tropical Traditions: daveshir2005

Movies on Demand Visa Card: marcia goss

Cheryl's Cookies: cassandra

My New Year's Resolution: We are Going to Disney!!

We are finally making the big trip this year...Disney World!!  My New Year's Resolution is to save up enough money (I have already saved $$1,502 and I have purchased our plane tickets) so that we can go without going into any debt. I have mentioned before that I am a couponing nut (I prefer the term coupon queen personally) so I have been using thrifty strategies to put away money here and there throughout the year.

Here is what I have done so far:

Put gift cards away that I have accumulated as gifts, rebates, and credit card bonuses

Put spare change into a HUGE jar (I have not included that in our grand total because I have no idea how much is there)

Put away any mail in rebates

Put away gift cards and money I have earned from Swagbucks. If you have not signed up, I suggest you do. You earn prizes just for using their search engine. No cost, no strings attached!

Purchased gift cards from our local grocery store who offers money off gas when you buy gift cards from them and then use the money saved on gas to put back into my Disney account

Put money I have left over from the weekly budget into the fund.

Saved money overall by using couponing!

I will occasionally share some strategies for saving more money as the year goes on and I would love to hear some of your ideas.  If you have gone to Disney World before, I would love to know how much you would suggest I save for a family of 4. Luckily, we don't have to pay for lodging so we will need to pay for food, park tickets, souvenirs, and a rental car.

What is your New Year's resolution? 

Celebrate with Mini Cakes Review and GIVEAWAY!!

Mini cakes are the best of both worlds: cakes and cupcakes. These treats can be as elaborately decorated as a larger cake yet they are small enough to be enjoyed by one. Celebrate with Mini Cakes by Lindy Smith offers designs and techniques for over 20 celebration mini cakes.

Review: The book is very nicely organized. Before getting to the elaborate designs, the author takes you through some basics of cake decorating to include baking tips, necessary equipment, and recipes.  The cake designs were absolutely awe inspiring.  All of the designs used gum paste or fondant, which make amazing cakes but I find that most people enjoy classic frosting tastes over these.  With these on mini cakes, I would think the sweetness of having so much fondant may be overpowering. I would have liked to see some buttercream designs; however, I did really enjoy the book. The cakes were inspiring and the directions very clear. There were not only written instructions, but photographs that helped explain and simplify many of the instructions. If you have been wanting to try making mini-cakes, then this would be a great book to buy.

Buy it here: The book retails for $22.99 and is available for a discounted price from Amazon. If you are from the UK, you can purchase the book from RU Craft.

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader will win a copy of Celebrate with Mini Cakes! 

If Rafflecopter does not load, try refreshing the page!  Make sure you click on the "read more" link to open the giveaway in a new window.

 **Please read the rules** US & UK addresses only You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. One set of entries per household. One winner will be selected on 1/8 and will be emailed. 

Merry Christmas!

I am taking a little break for the holidays so I can spend some quality time with my kids. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I will be back soon with some great product review and giveaways!

Cheryl's Mini Bow Box GIVEAWAY!

The holidays are a time when families celebrate old traditions, as well as create new traditions that last for a lifetime! This year, Celebrations.com expert Rachel Hollis is happy to share a holiday tradition she and her family love to make, brownie pops! The pops, made with Cheryl’s famous brownies, are a simple treat sure to bring a bit of Christmas joy to your family.  These edible treats will be a delectable addition to your traditional Christmas cookies, pies, and desserts. Check out this video to see Rachel’s very own tips and tricks to help you prepare a perfect holiday dessert station! 

Brownie Mini Bow Box -  These individually wrapped bite- sized fudge and blondie treats are perfect to keep on hand for a quick snack!

WIN IT HERE: One lucky Cake Mom is going to win a Brownie Mini Bow Box from Cheryl's so they can make their very own brownie pops!!

**Please read the rules** US addresses only You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

  

Mandatory Entry:  “Like” Rachel’s How-To Video  showing you how to make an awesome holiday dessert station!

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me  on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook 

8.  “Like” Cheryl’s Facebook page

The winner will be selected on 12/30 via random.org and will have 48 hours to respond.

No compensation was received for this post.

Clean + Green Amazing Deal!

Clean+Green natural pet stain and odor removers are safe for people, pets and the planet! Using a patented formula, Clean+Green encapsulates and eliminates stain and odor on contact - even skunk odor! - by naturally biodegrading the stain or odor source. The all-natural formula delivers instant results in a safe, non-toxic, eco-friendly solution. Ingredients include cane sugar derivatives, a proprietary blend of botanical extracts, hydrated cellulose, purified water, and a natural aerosol propellant (nitrogen). 

From now through January 2nd, you can get 50% off your purchase of three cans or more of Clean+Green when you use coupon code HOLIDAYPET.

Write the Next Verse

We all know of the traditional country music story line: "I lost my woman, my job, my house... even my dog." Well, Bert Scholl wrote his own version — a true story. And your contribution will help him write the next verse.

Check out his video and let me know what you think!

If this has inspired you, check out Bert's website where you can make a donation.

PartyLite Sweepstakes and Money Making Opportunity

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

The further I got with decorating this Christmas was to throw up the tree and set up our Christmas village. Without faded and outdated decorations, I have lost the will to spend the time to decorate.  When I saw the new  PartyLite Holiday Collection, I began dreaming of a beautifully decorated and modern holiday home.

You may have been to a PartyLite party before. The company allows independent sellers to start their own business by throwing parties to show off the amazing collections offered by this home decor' and candle company.  By hosting a PartyLite party, you have the opportunity to earn free products. The more people you invite to your party, the more items are purchased which means you can update your house at practically no cost!  PartyLite offers so many fabulous candle products to include warmers, accessories and reed diffusers in fantastic designs. Placing a few of these items can not only update your decor', but your house will also be smelling amazing. Their Winter/Spring catalog was just released on December 16th and it had me drooling!

PartyLite Simple Pleasures Holiday Sweepstakes: You can enter to win one of five $500 PartyLite gift certificates by registering for a party!

Connect Here: Like PartyLite Facebook  and find out about monthly offers online for party hosts and guests.

Movies on Demand Awards Season Giveaway - $25 Visa Gift Card!!

Award season is almost upon us and now is a good time to get caught up on all the nominated movies!  Movies On Demand on cable is offering many Awards Season nominated films such as Slumdog Millionaire for rent via your digital cable remote often times weeks before they are available from other rental options and years before they can be streamed online. For more information about the Movies On Demand on cable service, be sure to visit http://www.facebook.com/moviesondemand and reminisce over last Awards Season’s titles available to order on demand.

2012 SAG Awards Nominations

·         All nominations highlighted in green are available to order now on Movies On Demand on cable

·         All nominations highlighted in salmon are coming soon to Movies On Demand on cable

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

DEMIÁN BICHIR as Carlos Galindo - “A BETTER LIFE” (Summit Entertainment) 10.18 –  12.25

GEORGE CLOONEY as Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO as J. Edgar Hoover - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

JEAN DUJARDIN as George - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)

BRAD PITT as Billy Beane - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures) 1.10 – 4.10

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

GLENN CLOSE  as Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)

VIOLA DAVIS as Aibileen Clark - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures)  12.6 -4.21

MERYL STREEP as Margaret Thatcher - “THE IRON LADY” (The Weinstein Company)

TILDA SWINTON as Eva - “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

MICHELLE WILLIAMS as Marilyn Monroe - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein  Company)

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role

KENNETH BRANAGH as Sir Laurence Olivier - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” (The Weinstein  Company)

ARMIE HAMMER as Clyde Tolson - "J. EDGAR" (Warner Bros. Pictures)

JONAH HILL as Peter Brand - "MONEYBALL" (Columbia Pictures)  1.10 – 4.10

NICK NOLTE as Paddy Conlon - “WARRIOR” (Lionsgate) 12.20 – 5.2

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER as Hal - “BEGINNERS” (Focus Features) 11.1 – 4.26

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role

BÉRÉNICE BEJO as Peppy - "THE ARTIST" (The Weinstein Company)

JESSICA CHASTAIN as Celia Foote - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone  Pictures) 12.6 -4.21

MELISSA McCARTHY as Megan - “BRIDESMAIDS” (Universal Pictures) 9.20 – 2.25

JANET McTEER as Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS” (Roadside Attractions)

OCTAVIA SPENCER as Minny Jackson - “THE HELP” (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures) 12.6 -4.21

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)

BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures) 9.20 – 2.25

THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures as Touchstone Pictures) 12.6 -4.21

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics) 12.20 – 3.22

SAG HONORS FOR STUNT ENSEMBLES

Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture

THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

COWBOYS & ALIENS (UNIVERSAL PICTURES) 12.6 -5.27

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 (WARNER BROS. PICTURES)  11.11 – 4.10

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (PARAMOUNT PICTURES) 9.30 - 3.27

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS (20TH CENTURY FOX) 9.16 – 2.23

  

 I will have to admit it, I am REALLY behind on these movies.  I have heard some good reviews on Michelle Williams' role as Marilyn Monroe so I am looking forward to seeing that. I have also heard amazing things about The Help. Too bad there is not a nomination for sexiest star because I just recently saw Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Edward is as sexy as ever!

Watch it here: Find out more about Movies on Demand from their Facebook page.  

Win it here: Movies on Demand is giving one lucky Cake Mom reader a $25 Visa Gift Card!!  

Mandatory Entry: Tell me your prediction(s) for the SAG awards based on the nominations listed above. Haven't seen any of the movies? Tell me which one you would most like to see!

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me  on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

8. Like Movies on Demand on Facebook

The winners will be selected on 12/29  via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

I will be provided with a gift card for compensation for this post. All views expressed are my own.

iCaughtSanta.com Deal!

Whether your kids truly believe or are starting to doubt the existance of the big guy, this can be a really fun post-Christmas surprise!  For only $11 you get 4 custom images of Santa in your own house!!

I SPY Castle for Nintendo DS Review

Gift Giving Guide: This is a great gift for children ages 8 and under who have a Nintendo DS.

I SPY books have been a popular form of entertainment for as long as I can remember. If you have never seen an I SPY product, then let me explain. In the books, you have a very busy photograph with some type of theme and you are given a list of items hidden (and sometimes so well hidden the parents struggle) items.  The I SPY Castle video game for the Nintendo DS allows the player to explore a castle while playing riddles and puzzles in order to unlock more rooms in the castle. The players searched for over 400 objects in 36 I SPY riddles.

Review: The game is rated E and is truly appropriate for younger kids since the game actually reads the directions to the children. There is nothing more frustrating to me 6 year old daughter than a Nintendo DS game that involves a lot of reading. The mini games were a lot of fun to her. They were challenging, though not too much so that they were frustrating.  My daughter really enjoyed the game. The castle theme was pretty neat and even the background music had a Renaissance feel to it. I would certainly recommend this game as it is fun and educational at the same time. 

Buy it here: I SPY Castle retails for $20. It can be purchased from Amazon for $16.99.

I was provided with the above mentioned product for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Stanley Home Disinfectant Review

No matter how hard you try, you can't escape the dreaded cold and flu season. One of the best ways to protect you and your family is to use disinfectant to help contain germs and viruses. Stanley Home's G-X Disinfectant is an aerosol spray that is formulated to provide protection against some of the most harmful viruses and germs to include Influenza A and HIV-1. The aerosol design allows you to disinfect in hard to reach places and the formula eliminates odors by attached them at their source.

Review: I use disinfectants all the time and I will say that I am very happy with this brand. For one, the aerosol spray is more focused than some other brands I have used. It seems like many other brands have sprays that reach so far and wide that you end up with disinfectant in your mouth when you are trying to spray 1 foot away. This one allows you to spray with more precision. I also really enjoy the scent which does eliminate odors but has a more pleasant, rather than sterile and hospital-like smell.  The price is a bit high from my perspective but a little bit of this seems to go a long way so if I were to compare this with another brand, I suspect that one Stanley Home can would last a lot longer than the other. 

I was provided with the above mentioned sample for the purpose of facilitating this review. No other compensation was received and the views expressed here are my own.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil for Pets Review and GIVEAWAY!

If you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, then you have seen that Tropical Traditions sells coconut oil products that are meant to allow you go through your daily life without the need for harmful chemicals and add healthy elements to your cooking and baking. They don't just stop there; however.  They also offer products for your pets!

What is Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil (from the company)?

Tropical Traditions Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is a high quality refined coconut oil. This oil is processed the “old” way by what is called “physical refining.” The modern way of processing coconut oil is by chemical extraction, using solvent extracts, which produces higher yields and is quicker and less expensive. Tropical Traditions Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil DOES NOT use solvent extracts. It is made the “old” way by expeller-pressed mechanical extraction. This oil is also NOT hydrogenated, and contains NO trans fatty acids. It is a very good quality food-grade coconut oil.

Tropical Traditions Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is made from certified organic coconuts that have NOT been treated with chemicals or fertilizers. It is certified organic according to European and USDA standards. Our Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil is high in the medium chain fatty acids, such as Lauric acid.  Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil for Pets is the same as our regular certified organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil, except that it has not been completely deodorized and will have a "smokey" flavor to it. It is certified organic and is a high quality edible coconut oil.

Review:  I will admit that I was a bit confused when I first received the product because I had no idea how to use it. It was designated for pets on the website but there were no instructions as to whether it should be used to make their coat shiny or as a supplement in their food! I did some research and found that many individuals do add coconut oil to their pet's food so they can receive the health benefits.  So I did this and Butch and Buttercup seemed more than happy to have the addition to their food. In fact, they spend some time licking the bowl clean. Obviously, I cannot tell if their health has improved in any way but I will say that they had no adverse effects to the coconut oil (I was particularly worried about gas).  I will continue giving it to them and see if their coats are shinier and if they have any other noticeable positive reactions to the coconut oil. 

Buy it here: You can purchase Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil for Pets from the Tropical Traditions website. It is on sale right now for only $9.99 for a big 32 oz jar!

Win it here: One lucky Cake Mom reader is going to win Organic Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil!

**Please read the rules**

This is open to US & Canadian residents only. You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!

Mandatory Entry: Sign up for Tropical Traditions newsletter (current subscribers can enter too!)

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry. For example, if you blog about this contest, leave 3 separate comments!

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this contest (with a link to my blog) and post a link to your blog

5. Follow Cake Mom and Tropical Traditions on twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

The winner will be selected on 12/27 via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. Unless otherwise specified, the views expressed here are my own.

This Week's Winners

Congrats to this week's winners:

Bella Cupcake Couture: Kapumaka, Misusedinnocence

Miracle Wrinkle Filler: jbmthill

Oxygenetix: clenna

Crazy Dog T-shirts: daveshir2005

Purex Triple Action Laundry Detergent Review and GIVEAWAY!!

Purex is releasing a new Triple Action formula across its entire line of laundry detergents. The new and improved formula is designed to leave your clothes bright, white, and clean for half the price of  the leading brand.  Just like all of their detergents, new Purex Triple Action has been specifically formulated to work in both traditional and High Efficiency washers.

Review: I chose the Free and Clear option of the new Purex Triple Action laundry detergent to review since I have very sensitive skin. Purex has been my favorite brand for a long time, not only because it works great but because the price is appealing. Their new formula did not disappoint. My clothes came out looking great, feeling soft, and very clean. Even my husband's clothes which get particularly filthy as he works on cars looked wonderful and smelled neutral. The detergent was truly free from scents and dyes so my skin was happy as well! Will I buy again? Without hesitation!

(There are Target promotional codes available for detergent.)

Win it here: Three lucky Cake Mom readers are going to win a FREE product coupon for Purex Triple Action! 

**Please read the rules**  US residents only You must complete the mandatory entry before completing optional entries. Each optional entry needs to be added as a separate comment. Comments that do not follow the rules will not count and will be deleted. PLEASE LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT if it is not visible in your public profile! One set of entries per household. 

  

Mandatory Entry: Tell me whether or not you use Purex and/or what you think of the brand.

 

Optional entries: Leave an additional comment for each entry.

1. Follow my blog (publicly)

2. Subscribe to my blog via email and confirm the subscription

3. Grab my button and post a link to your blog

4. Blog about this giveaway

5. Follow me  on Twitter and tweet about this contest (can be done daily). You must place a link to your tweet.

6. Enter another one of my contests. Enter as many as you like, but this method is only worth 1 entry regardless of how many you enter.

7. Like Cake Mom on Facebook  

The winners will be selected on 12/26  via random.org and will be emailed. The winner will have 48 hours to respond.

Purex provided a free sample of their Triple Action laundry detergent so I could write this review. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

ZenniOptical.com Holiday Frames

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zenni Optical for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

ZenniOptical.com offers cheap eyeglasses that allow you to match your outfits and even match your festive mood.  Their glasses are sold at amazing prices and they all include free anti-scratching coating, thin and light 1.57 index single vision lens, full UV protection, a free protective case and a free microfiber cleaning cloth. As if that was not enough, they also offer free shipping on orders over $50.

They offer a really fun assortment of eyeglasses that are quite festive. Imagine the smiles you will get when you walk into a holiday party wearing glasses that match your holiday outfit!  Check  out these totally adorable frames that are only $25.95:

 

 

They offer a very nice assortment of glasses and you can shop by gender, type, or style.  They also offer some sun-shades which would make a nice gift for someone.  Just think, for a small amount of money you can get yourself some optical fashion and still have enough money to spoil your loved ones with gifts!  .

I would love for you to go check out ZenniOptical.com and tell me what you think. What style would you love to sport this holiday season? Remember, they offer festive color choices!